Montana has officially said its goodbyes to online gambling. The Big Sky state’s new law, Senate Bill 555, kicked in Oct. 1, 2025, making it the first in the country to ban all forms of unlicensed internet gambling.
What this simply means is that, if you are in Montana and trying to spin, bet, or log on for some online slots, the house just shut its virtual doors.
A Law That Means Business
SB 555 doesn’t mince words. It outlaws online sweepstakes casinos, prediction markets, and just about any platform that lets people bet money or digital currency without state approval.
The law enforcement didn’t come to play with its penalties, either. Operators who ignore the law could face felony charges, fines up to $50,000, and even 10 years in prison.
Many say this is such an aggressive move for a state that isn’t exactly known as a gambling hotbed. But lawmakers say the goal is to protect players from unregulated sites that can’t guarantee fair play or responsible gaming.
What the bill doesn’t explain is what happens to players who already rely on online options, since Montana’s legal gaming market mostly lives in bars, tribal casinos, and lottery kiosks.
Where Can Montanans Still Play?
For residents feeling the pinch of online play, their gambling options are now rooted in the physical world, and their legal options include:
- Mini casinos: The state’s taverns and bars offer video gaming machines, a long-standing Montana tradition.
- State lottery: including its one-of-a-kind sports betting platform, Sports Bet Montana.
- Sports betting: While the state legalized online sports betting, you can only place a mobile wager on the single regulated app while you are physically present inside a licensed retail location, such as a bar or restaurant. You can download the app anywhere, but you must be on-site to click the “place bet” button.
- Live games: poker, keno, and bingo.
- Horse racing: both live and online pari-mutuel wagering through licensed advance deposit wagering apps.
In short, if you want to bet on sports or play a machine, you still have to put your shoes on and drive to a licensed spot.
What Happens Next
Not everyone is prepared to surrender. The Social and Promotional Games Association (SPGA) has already called the law “too broad.” Even Kalshi, a federally regulated prediction market platform, has been at odds with Montana regulators over whether its products even qualify as gambling.
So far, the Montana Department of Justice has started sending out enforcement notices, and a few platforms have already blocked access to local users. Legal experts expect at least one federal lawsuit to challenge the new law within weeks.
In the meantime, tribal casinos and bars might see a short-term traffic increase as players who can no longer gamble online look for local alternatives. But long term, the question is whether Montana just gave up a potential future market before it ever had one.
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